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Can you take Deutetrabenazine while pregnant?

Updated Sep 7, 20262 min readAnswer
On this pageShort answer Pregnancy and deutetrabenazine: what to know Common questions Related questions Sources
Short answer

**Usually not: deutetrabenazine is generally avoided in pregnancy because there are no adequate human studies, and the decision belongs to you and your neurologist together.**

What changes the answer is why you take it. If it is for tardive dyskinesia, the movements themselves do not harm a fetus, so many people pause the drug or switch approaches while pregnant. If it is for chorea in Huntington disease, uncontrolled movements can cause falls, weight loss, and trouble swallowing, so the balance may favor continuing at the lowest dose that works. The most useful habit is to raise pregnancy plans at a routine visit rather than after a positive test, since changes are easier to make before conception.

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Pregnancy and deutetrabenazine: what to know

1Plan before conception:Bring up pregnancy plans at a routine visit so any change happens before you are pregnant, not during the first trimester.
2Never stop abruptly on your own:Call the prescriber first, since chorea and mood symptoms can return quickly after a missed dose.
3Know why you take it:Tardive dyskinesia and Huntington chorea lead to different decisions, so make sure your obstetric team knows which one applies to you.
4Watch mood carefully:This drug carries a boxed warning for depression and suicidal thoughts in people with Huntington disease, and pregnancy is already a high-risk time for mood changes.
5Ask about the lowest effective dose:If you continue treatment, ask whether your dose can be reduced while still controlling movements.
6Keep one medication list:Share every prescription, supplement, and over-the-counter product with both your neurologist and your prenatal clinician at each visit.

Common questions

Can you take Deutetrabenazine while pregnant?

Deutetrabenazine (Austedo) has no adequate human pregnancy studies, and animal data showed effects on offspring development, so the label advises use only when the benefit justifies the possible risk. For tardive dyskinesia, pausing is often reasonable, because untreated movements are not dangerous to a fetus. For Huntington chorea the balance is different, since falls, weight loss, and swallowing problems carry real risk. Do not stop on your own; chorea can return within about a day of the last dose. If you are pregnant or planning to be, ask your neurologist and obstetric clinician to make the plan together.

About this page. Written and maintained by the Pymander Health team. Last updated September 7, 2026.

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